Labyrinth
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: Allen, Lenalee, and Kanda all begin to dream of the world's end as a new exorcist, who looks suspicious, joins the Order. Can Allen protect her from the nightmares and the darkness?
1. Premonition

"_Awaken." _

_Allen Walker looked up in the darkness._

_A woman with long dark hair to her waist and a star on her forehead held out a hand to him._

_An akuma? No, his eye hadn't activated._

"_Destroyer of Time. You must awaken! The end is coming."_

_Allen looked at the woman. She had dark blue eyes, and her face looked so pained. _

"_You must stop it." _

_Allen stared at her. "Stop what? Who are you?"_

"_Stop? Stop me..." _

_Blood covered her, spilling onto the floor, staining her dress._

"_AWAKEN!" _

Xxx

Allen woke up and tried to shake off the dream.

But he couldn't.

Who was that woman? An enemy? Or someone he could save? Was she a Noah? An Akuma?

Bump.

"Ah?" A girl looked up at him. "I'm sorry about that. I'm new here. My name's Kuri Hikawa. I came from the Vatican. I am a Priestess."

"So are you with Crow then?" Allen asked.

Kuri shook her head. "No but the binding feathers they have were taught to them by a branch of my clan. All the children of my family have been priestesses, though only the females have been exorcists. However...I am the last..."

"Oh I'm sorry." Allen said. "Did the Earl—"

Kuri nodded. "Well. It was nice to meet you."

She extended her hand, and Allen took it.

"_Awaken!" _

Xxx

_Lenalee was lying in the ruins of a city. It was completely destroyed and everyone was dead._

"_What's happening? Where is everyone?" _

_She looked around. _

"_That's right...everyone is dead." Kanda was standing in front of her, sword drawn. "Don't be afraid. We still have time. We must find the Darkness, and destroy it. It is the only way to stop this from happening. It is up to you and me." _

_Lenalee covered her face, and began to cry._

Xxx

Lenalee entered the meditation room.

She sat down, and began to meditate with Kanda.

"You hear it, don't you." Kanda said. "The wind is rustling."

"What is it that you want from me, Kanda?" Lenalee said, wondering if Kanda knew her dreams.

"I just want to meditate with you." Kanda said simply.

"Hmph. No thank you." Lenalee snapped and left.


	2. Destiny

Lenalee was practicing meditation.

"She is beautiful and was once a great exorcist but she doesn't have any friends. I don't think she likes people," some finders said.

Kanda got up and walked around the Order. He saw a painting of the End Of The World commissioned by the Order.

"You know about my dreams." Lenalee said. "Don't you Kanda."

"You've become popular over the years, Lenalee." Kanda said. "One of your fans wants to spar with you every day."

"That sounds like a flirtation." Lenalee said.

"You aren't even an exorcist anymore, Lenalee." Kanda said.

Lenalee became angry. "Yes I am! I can see it in my destiny, just like you."

"Are you willing to make the sacrifice?" Kanda said.

Several day passed and Lenalee was in town when she heard a boy crying for help. She approached the boy to see what was wrong when she transformed into an akuma. The akuma attacked Lenalee and she tried to fight it with a crowbar but it was too strong. Suddenly her innocence in the flask in her pocket reacted and liquified.

Lenalee began to reach out for it when a voice called out, "Don't touch it!"

Lenalee turned around and Kanda was standing at the door.

Kanda continued, "If you do, you'll never be to return to a normal life. Innocence! Activate!"

His Mugen activated.

Kanda attacked the monster, driving it back.

"Stop! That boy is still alive!" Lenalee said.

"The end is coming!" Kanda said. "If I don't do this, there will be more sacrifices. I did not choose to fight this way."

With Lenalee distracted, the monster attacked again and Kanda dove to push Lenalee out of the way. The monster slashed Kanda with his claws.

"First Illusion! Netherworld Insects!"

The akuma was defeated and the monster turned back into the boy. Kanda slumped on the ground in Lenalee's arms.

"I didn't help you just because you are an exorcist," Kanda said weakly. "Before I knew, I was always watching you, even when you meditated with me. I've always wanted to be with you. You never ask favors of anyone and you're always faithful to your feelings."

"I'm not faithful," Lenalee said. "I'm always running away."

"No," Kanda said. "I know you better than you do because I've always been watching you. I just didn't want you to take the same path I took." Kanda closed his eyes. "Still, I was happy when I found out that you were the one..."

Lenalee looked back at her innocence and took it, drinking it, and her Dark Boots formed.


	3. Circling

Lenalee climbed out of the bath and put on her Order uniform. "What a lovely morning. If I don't go to meet him now, I'll be late. The sea is rough today."

Kanda finished up in the training room.

Allen and Kuri passed him on the way to the cafeteria. "That guy's really grumpy looking." Kuri said.

"You don't know him?" said Allen. "That's Ba—Kanda Yuu. He's an exorcist like us."

Kanda met up with Lenalee.

"You're late." He said. "The wind is raging today."

Kuri went into the training room practiced with her sword against the training dummies.

She whirled gracefully and landed, finishing the dummy off.

"Whoa. I couldn't feel how fast I was going." Kuri said.

"Hey," Kanda said.. "Thinking like that is a quality of a true exorcist."

Allen headed to the cafeteria. He bumped into Lenalee, who was standing outside.

"Oh," Allen said.. "Excuse me."

Their hands touched as they both reach to pick up her books.

Lenalee looked at him. "The color of your eyes is very noble. Perhaps you were a noble in a previous life."

"A...noble..." Allen said.

Kanda saw the two standing outside. "Let's spar sometime, Priestess." He left.

"I'm sorry," Lenalee said to Allen. "That was a strange thing to say. Don't think badly of me. Goodbye." She walked away with Kanda.

_"She was beautiful, but I couldn't read her face." _Allen thought.

"So you've made another friend," Lenalee said to Kanda.

"Jealous?" asked Kanda.

"Got a mission for you two!" Lavi said to Allen and Kuri.

Xxx

Allen and Kuri were in the park on a mission to check out the new headquarters for the Noah.

Two girls walked by.

Allen's eye activated. "An akuma?"

"Allen?" Kuri said.

One of the girls doubled over, and an akuma came out from her back. Kuri gasped .

"An akuma!?"

"INNOCENCE, ACTIVATE!"

Allen brandished his Sword of Exorcism against the strange akuma but it wasn't enough.

"Allen be careful! The human host is still alive!" Kuri said.

"Th-That's not possible!" Allen said.

"Seisei!" Kuri splayed out her hand and purified the akuma.

The girl fell to the ground, as the part attached to her faded away.

"It separated from a human!?" Allen said.

"Hurry!" Kuri said.. "Call for first aid!"

Kanda and Lenalee watched from a distance.

_"Someone's eyes..."_ thought Kuri. _"Is the monster still...!?"_ She turned around. _"No one's there!?"_

_"The instant when that girl changed into a monster..." _Allen thought. "I saw...both the soul...and the dark matter...separate. Is this a new kind of akuma?"

A faint light glowed around Kanda and Lenalee.


	4. Ripples

Kuri was talking with Allen about the new Akuma and its link with the Infinity Delta.

"I think you should take a look at the Infinity District; that's where I saw those two heading last night." Kuri said.

"Alright. Anything else?" Allen asked.

"Could you take me to the amusement park tomorrow?" Kuri said.

"Sure." Allen said. "But you have to scout the Infinity district."

Kuri rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Well they are next to each other, in case anything happens."

Xxx

The next morning, Allen was investigating the Delta and the Infinity School.

Allen was riding the roller coaster.

As he rode the roller coaster, his hat flew off into the sky.

Allen leapt off the ride and took off toward the Infinity district.

"There you are." Allen stopped as he found a girl holding the hat. "What are you doing...?"

Xxxx

Aang entered the magnificent building. "Wow..." she said. "It is private... A huge palace. I don't believe it." She stopped as music filled the air.

The other two looked around.

"Such... a beautiful tone..." Miranda said.

"A violin?" Lavi said.

They all began walking toward the sound.

_"It's outstanding..."_ Allen thought. _"Who is it? Who's playing?"_ She peeked from behind a bush, and saw Lenalee standing, playing a violin. _"The tune is sweet... Like crackling fire..."_

Lenalee looked up at Allen.

The others stopped walking. "It stopped."

_"That look!?"_ Lavi thought. She whipped around and saw Kanda running toward them.

"You don't know what fear is," Lenalee said to Allen. "Coming to a place like this. It's dangerous. Someday your body will die."

"You shouldn't stick your neck out," said Kanda. "You can return safely now, but if you interrupt us, I will not pardon you."

_"Her eyes were piercing,"_ Allen thought of Lenalee. _"The pupils were dark and cold. It chilled me to the bone. Could she be... An enemy!?"_ She turned a corner. _"The backside of the building!? I have to get back to the others!"_

"Oh!" Allen said. He picked up his hat. "Great. The hat I got from Kuri." He saw a high-tech building, with a sign in front written in kanji. _"Oh, can I read that?"_ she thought. _"...research labs?"_

Lenalee ran over then suddenly started coughing and doubled over.

Allen touched Lenalee's shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

Lenalee pushed him away. "I always have these fits," she says. "It'll pass in a minute. We have to leave. This area is off-limits."

A black mass started to appear. Allen's eye activated.

"My eye is activating!?" A large monster grew out and swooped down at Allen.

_"Akuma!?"_ Kuri thought, approaching. "Allen!?" He called. " Watch out!"

Kanda shadowed by the moonlight stood in the distance.


	5. Revelation

Kuri attacked the akuma with her innocence.

The akuma exploded. A white cat landed on the ground. "A cat!? The akuma took hold of the cat!?"

Lenalee looked up at her. "You...!? Who are you?"

"_Damn_!" Kuri thought.

"We are exorcists!" said Allen. "You okay? Weren't you hurt?"

Lenalee's eyes looked at him. "You are the one who is hurt," she said.

"What?" Allen said. He looked at his arm and saw blood. "Oh, you're right."

The girl held Allen's arm.

Kuri whirled around. "Who's there!? Is the enemy still..."

A shadowed figure run off into the moonlight.

"Lavi! Miranda!" Allen called. "Look, my injury..."

_"It's gone!?"_ Allen thought. _"That girl..."_

"When you get home, you should disinfect it," Lenalee said. She tied a handkerchief around Allen's arm. "It's eerie. Since I was small... I've had this strange power."

"Allen..." Kuri called.

"You should leave this place at once," Lenalee said.. "If the guards find you, you'll be in trouble."

"Thanks," Allen said.

Xxx

"Be careful," Kuri said. She walked off. "We shouldn't give away our real identities so readily. We don't know what form the enemy could be taking!"

"Sorry... But I thought I could be friends with that girl. I liked Lenalee. That pure-white skin... She was pretty." Allen said.

_"That kid..." Kuri_ thought. _"She had the power to heal Allen's injury...is she an enemy?"_

Allen were together now working and learned that the owner of the Infinity Distract and Research Labs is Komui. -Lenalee's Brother.

Later that night, Queen Bandiane was sitting gazing into a pool of water at a castle and calling for the awakening. At her anxious calls, Kanda's eyes open because he can sense the evil calls.

Kanda sits up in bed. _"Again. That dream... Someone is calling... for someone else to awaken... Saying for us to come? Or else... Recalling the ruin. Trying to get us?"_

Xxx

"What is it?" Kanda said.

Lenalee stared at her mirror. "I was thinking of fortunetelling, and it was interrupted. The mirror got cloudy. But then it cleared up."

Kanda put his arms around her. "Lenalee... What we're doing. It might be useless. Whatever we do, it could already be too late."

"We knew that when we started, Kanda. The wheels of fate have spun. The new awakening will come soon."

Allen walks down the street, reading a book on the Infinity District. "Professor Moeto..."

Lenalee watches him. "Are you investigating the Infinity District?" she asks. "The owner, Professor Moeto, is very famous. Of course, he was expelled from the academic society..."

"Expelled?"

"There's part of the Infinity School, called the magician training school. Do you know of it? I wonder if it's because very versatile people attend it. Or else..."

A girl approaches them. "Excuse me..." she says. "Are you the violinist, Lenalee-san?"

"Yeah."

"Wow! I'm a fan! Please sign this for me!"

Lenalee takes the girl's signature board.

"The violinist, Lenalee..." Allen says. "Then, are you one of the versatile magicians too?"

"That's right," says Lenalee. "I'm having a concert soon. I'll give you some tickets."

Kuri sees the two from a distance. _"That's... Allen?"_ she thinks. _"Why are they... together? She's one of the people we're watching. What are they talking about? Allen?"_ She envisions the face of the shadowed people. _"That person..."_

Kuri enters the Crown Game Center. She screams as someone yanked on her hair.

"Hey there!" Kanda says. "We meet again. Do you come here often?"

Kuri envisions the face of the soldier. _"Kanda... he looks like... that masked soldier from before."_

"Hey," she says. "Are you... on some kind of mission?"

Kanda eyes widen. "What?" he says. "Of course not."

"I like the sound of that," Kanda says. "A soldier. Fighting. Do you and your friends all fight together?"

"Fight together!?" Kuri says.

"Don't go near Kuri!" voices call.

Kanda turns and saw Allen. "Hmph...moyashi."


	6. New Exorcists

Later the Allen and Kuri were fighting an Akuma.

As the dancer charged at Kuri and Allen; Allen attacked.

The akuma vanished in a flash of light. "She disappeared!?"

"She said she belonged to a group called "Snow Dancers'" Kuri said.

"The Snow Dancers!? Are they the new enemies!?" Allen said.

"That! Look...!" Kuri whirled.

"Is the enemy still here!?" Allen asked.

They turn and saw Lenalee running away into the woods.

"Wait!" Allen called. He ran after her.

"Allen!" called Kuri.

Xxx

Allen ran through the forest. "She's so fast! Like the wind. I can't catch up!" He stopped as he reached a clearing. "I lost her!? Oh no!"

"I figured you wouldn't catch me," Lenalee said, sitting in a tree.

Allen looked up at her. "You're..."

Lenalee jumped down. "Don't disturb us. Fighting together would be dangerous."

A bright light flashed.

"Allen!" Kuri called. She ran up, and saw Allen sitting alone on the ground.

_"That person..."_ Allen thought. _"It can't be... she's an exorcist!?"_

_Xxx_

"What do you mean, she was an exorcist!?" Kuri asked. "Anything else!?"

"She said... not to disturb them..." Allen said.

"Her face?" Kuri asked. "Did you see it?"

"It was dark," said Allen. "I couldn't see it well."

"I don't believe it." Kuri said. "Kanda knows about her! You saw!"

"We still don't know they actually are working together," said Allen. "We should catch them, and reveal their true intentions."

Xxx

Allen looked at a magazine as he lies in bed. "Kuri...She looked like..."

Allen drifted off to sleep.

xxx

"Hey Allen," Lenalee said.

"Huh?" said Allen.

"Who are you?" Allen asked. "The soldier from before...!?"

Lenalee jumped away.

"Wait! Why do you always run!? Tell me why!" Allen asked

"The time has not yet come," Lenalee said. "Our mission is to get..."

"What?" Allen said.

"The talismans..." Lenalee said.

Xxx

The voice of the woman echoed in the minds of the exorcists

_"Unless we gather the three talismans, for the god of ruin..."_

They all woke up suddenly.

_"That dream...!"_ Allen thought.

_"The talismans!?"_ Kuri and Lenalee thought.

_"An ominous dream..."_ thought Kanda. _"I feel a sense of foreboding... They must not gather the talismans!"_

_Xxx_

"Morning, Kuri," Allen said. "You're late."

Kuri looked down. "M- Morning," she said. _"I can't even show him my face..." _she thought. She looked at posters on the wall. _"Lenalee!? She's an amazing violinist. Allen... Is he concerned about Lenalee?"_

Kuri walked down the street after school. "I just want to relax." As she approaches the tea shop, she saw Kanda. "Oh!"

"Since your friends told me not to go near you," he said, "I no longer intend to come here. But, I wanted to see you."

_"Why is my heart beating so hard?"_ Kuri thought. _"It's because of that dream I had. It's weird. This person..." _

"If you hear Lenalee play once, you'll love it. She makes the music come alive with her instrument. She's a magician. If you're interested, would you like to go hear her?" He held out some tickets.

_"I want to know..."_ Kuri thought. _"About these people. Is that what Allen was thinking? I want to know about this person."_

"Kuri?" Kanda said. "That's cute."

A strong wind blowed.

"Kanda!?" Kuri said. Kanda was gone. "Kanda..."

Allen watched her from around a corner.

Xxx

"'The Infinity Commemorative Dome has finally been completed in the Infinity,'" Allen read from the newspaper. "'It's the largest hall in the world. A hotel is also scheduled to be built in the area. It will be constructed soon in the center of the Infinity zone reclaimed from the upper city.'"

Kuri entered and greeted everyone who were discussing a concert.

"What's wrong, Miranda?" Kuri asked.

"Kuri!" said Miranda. "The Hime Yuki concert is the formal opening of the Infinity Commemorative Dome."

"Hime Yuki?"

"She's got lots of commercials and TV spots. Hime Yuki's the most popular idol right now! She has an amazing voice. I really want to go to the concert!"

"Jeez, don't be so star crazy," said Allen. "You really like them, Miranda."

"What!" Miranda said. "If we sneak into the concert, we can do scouting too. We'll kill two birds with one stone."

Kuri quietly entered the game center.

"Look at the other poster," Kuri said. "It seems the violinist Lenalee is having a concert too. It's also at the Fire Nation Commemorative Dome."

"Why don't we go..." Kuri said.

"Huh!?" Miranda said.. "To Hime Yuki's concert!?"

"To Lenalee's concert," said Kuri.

"You have tickets?"

"Yeah, someone gave them to me. I have one for everyone."

Allen looked over at her.

"I like her violin," said Miranda. "I wonder if it'll be all right,"

"We can all see what's going on there," said Kuri.

Allen looked down at the concert tickets in his hand.

_"I'll give you two, so you can take someone," Lenalee had said._

_Xxx_

Queen Bandiane stared at the image of Allen in the pool of water. "He finishes my akuma so easily. He's strong. The fierce power of his innocence... I want it. But the fortune of the reflecting pool before me... The three talismans that will lead to our ruin... If I can uncover their true forms... Then I can obtain and destroy them."

The image of a woman appears in the pool. "Queen Bandiane," the woman said.

"You had better not fail like the others."

"I am Yukia, the Snow Princess. With my hypnotic music, the humans will freeze into submission.

The poster for Lenalee's concert appeared.

"What's this?" Bandiane asked.

"So we can gather more sacrifices for you, my Queen," Yukia said. "Using this world-famous violinist, we can lure people to the Crystal Points. And then soon, we will be ready to plunge this world!"

"Perhaps. But don't act too hastily, or you will make mistakes. No matter what, we must nurture this planet so that I may survive here. I will not forgive the Avatar! The soldiers will certainly come to stop us again. And when they do, eliminate them."

Xxx

_"I wonder how Lenalee's doing." _Kanda wondered.

Kanda walked by the Crystal Point, carrying a new handkerchief. "I think it was in back of the park..." he said. He approached Lenalee's Mansion. The entrance gate was locked. "A gate... Maybe nobody's in there. I guess Lenalee isn't back yet. Oh! Lenalee!"

Lenalee looked up at him.

"Hey, I came to check on you."

"You came all the way here... just for that?" Lenalee said. _"Brother will still be at the manor now..." _she thought. "Come with me," she said.

They entered Lenalee's place. Kanda looked around. "There's lamps everywhere," she said. "Your room's romantic."

"I like dark places," Lenalee said.

"Do you like your clothes dark too?" Kanda asked. "You just changed into black tights."

"From an accident long ago, I have many wounds..." Lenalee said.

"Hey, Lenalee," Kanda said. "Your home is a research lab, right? What are you researching?"

"It's 11 o'clock already," said Komui. "Hurry and finish up."

_"What?" _Kanda thought. _"That time already!?"_

Komui looked at her. "You have your friend over again." As he walked away, he tripped over a book on the ground.

"Look out!" Lenalee said. A pain struck her, and they both fell to the floor.

"Lenalee!?" said Komui. "What's wrong!?"

"Nothing... Just a little dizziness..."

"Have you been taking care of yourself? That's why it was impossible for you to finish your research on the comet."

"My duty was to go look at it too."

"I don't know of that duty," said Komui. "No one's looking after me either." Komui turned on the television.

"You have all the chances you want brother." Lenalee said.

"Of course! I'm serious about it. Just because I was dropped once, I won't give up. I'm not like you. I don't forget my dreams!" Komui turned and left.

"Brother!"

Kanda looked up. _"What should I do?"_ he thought.

A pain struck Lenalee and she dropped to her knees.

Lenalee dropped to the ground, coughing.

"Lenalee!?"

"It's okay, Kanda," he said. "My medicine..."

He looked at the coffee table, which was covered with packages of medicine. _"So much medicine...!"_ she thought. She took a few to Lenalee. "Lenalee!?"

She took one. "Thanks, Kanda."

_"What kind of medicine is it,"_ Kanda thought. _"Oh, if Lavi and Miranda were here, they could tell what the proper measures are."_

Lenalee coughed, clutching a Crystal to her chest. "You should go now... Don't come near me..."

"Lenalee? Are you okay?"

"Lenalee," Kanda said. "Close your eyes. This time I'll help you."

He held his innocence to Lenalee's chest.

"The pain is gone..." Lenalee said. "It's warm... Like I'm being filled with power..." She opened her eyes. "Is that your power?"

"Yeah, Kanda said. "This is my precious power. But not just for me, it can protect you too."

"Kanda, I've made mistakes." Lenalee admitted. "The monster that attacked your friends... I think it was probably an experimental creature escaped from my brother's research lab. My brother's eccentric. He's doing gruesome research. But please don't tell anyone. He's not evil. He came to save me from that accident long ago."

"I won't say anything, I promise," Kanda said. "It's our secret."

He watched as Lenalee lay down on the couch and fell asleep. He saw a picture on the wall. _"That's pretty_," he thought. "_The moment the sun rises."_

Lenalee opened her eyes. "Kanda? You stayed with me until I woke up?"

"I'm your friend." Kanda said.. "I'm on your side."

They looked out the window.

"The snow has stopped," Lenalee said.. "It's already dawn. Look at that, a beautiful Earth morning. Kanda, the view of dawn from the sky is amazing. Much more than this. It's beautiful. I want to show it to you, too, Kanda. It would be nice if we could see it together." Lenalee yawned. "We are friends. When I'm with you, I feel at ease. It seems like you understand everything."

She got into bed and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight. My friend." Lenalee said.

Xxx

"Kuri," Kanda said.

"Yes!" she said.

"Huh!?" said Allen. "Kanda!? Kuri!?"

"Hey!" Kanda said. "You're all here too!"

"Kanda...!" Miranda said.

"Hey."

"You didn't tell me you were coming to the concert with Kanda." Allen said.

"Kanda invited me... I would have asked you, Allen, but you said you had tickets." Kuri said.

Allen grimaced. _"'BaKanda!"_ he thought.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Kuri.

"Never mind!"

"It's starting," said Miranda.

They took their seats as Lenalee played her violin on-stage.

_"Whirling currents..."_ Kuri thought. _"Washing away my troubles... It's like I'm actually near the sea."_

"Her performance is breathtaking."

"I hear her violin is a five hundred million yen Stradivari named after the temple of the sea, the Marine Cathedral."

"Kanda..." Kuri thought. "He's standing over in the corner..."

Xxx

Miranda peeked around a corner at the Hime Yuki concert. "I followed Kuri so I could get over here, but now I have to get inside."

She was dressed in Infinity clothes.

"Thank you!" Yuki called from the stage. "Today I'm singing for everyone at my favorite school! I'm so happy! I love Infinity, and all of you. I'll do anything for the school. I will even sacrifice my body. Will you?"

The crowd cheered.

"Then close your eyes, and relax. Listen quietly to the music I've made for you."

_"What!?"_ Miranda thought. _"I'm suddenly sleepy. My body won't move..."_

"Devote your mind, body, and soul to me, and our master Queen Bandiane."

Miranda struggled to move. "Hime Yuki... is an enemy!"

A man ran up to her. "Where are you going!?"

"Err... To the bathroom..."

"You're not supposed to leave your seat during the concert!"

She kicked him away. She ran into the concert hall. "Your lovely image and melodious voice are the embodiment of an ugly evil! Everyone! Don't be fooled!"

Kanda and Lenalee's heads jerked up. The curtain was lowered before the stage. "What!? What's happening!? Is it over already?"

"Lenalee left!" said Kuri. "She looked odd."

Miranda ran in.

"Kuri!"

"Miranda!?"

"The idol Hime Yuki is an enemy! Come here!"

"Everyone!" Miranda called. "Wake up! If I act now, there should still be time!" As the people in the crowd came to their senses, Miranda switched off the lights. "Get out of here! Hurry!" Miranda and Yukia battled.

"Damn!" Yukia said. "Queen Bandiane! Send me power with the help of an Akuma!"

"Miserable wretch..." Queen Bandiane muttered. "The valuable eggs have been planted in the vessels. Hmph. Regrettable, but I will call on the failed spirits. Awaken! Akuma Power! My Snow Akuma!" Three students collapsed as monsters erupted from them.

"Devour them, Snow Akuma!" Yukia called.

Allen and Miranda defeated two. The remaining one charged at Kuri

The snow akuma loomed over her. Netherworld Insects hit it. The snow akuma exploded.

"Damnit!" Yukia said.

There was a second blast of wind.

Yukia vanished in a flash of light.

Everyone turned to look at the two exorcists.

"Who are you!?" Allen said.

"I am the wielder of the Dark Boots," said Lenalee.

"And I am the wielder of Mugen," said Kanda.


	7. Innocence

"Kanda!? Lenalee!?"

"No way!" Kuri says. "New Exorcists!? I didn't know."

"There was no reason for you to know," says Kanda

_"I can't get any sense from those two...!_" Miranda thinks.

Allen looks at the mirror Lenalee is holding. "This is called a talisman." "That hand mirror!" he says. "A talisman!"

_"Talisman!?"_ the others think.

"We meet again, Allen," says Lenalee.

_"Lenalee!"_ he thinks.

"The hand mirror is a talisman!?" Kuri says. "In my ominous dream, someone said to gather the talismans. So you... Who on earth are you!?"

"A dream?" Kanda says. "So, you sense it too. The dreadful premonition. The crisis of ruin."

"If you know something, tell us!" Kuri says. "What's going to happen from now on!?"

"Make no mistake. We have no intention of fighting together with you." Kanda said.

"Then you're not... allies?" Allen asks.

"I don't remember saying we were allies." Kanda said.

"Wait!" Lavi says. "Are you chasing after this Queen Bandiane too!? What does she want!?"

"We've never spoken," Lenalee says. She begins to play her violin.

_"Lenalee!?_" Allen thinks. Music fills the air.

"My head is splitting..." Lavi says.

_"These two soldiers carry talismans..."_ thinks Miranda. _"Oh no...! Could these two bring about our ruin!?"_

"Wait!" Allen calls. "Are you going to lead us to ruin!? Answer me!"

They were all knocked to the ground by Mugen and Dark Boots attacks.

_"The exorcists..."_ Kuri thinks. _"Attacked us...!?"_

_Xxx_

"I don't know if I should talk about them," Lavi says. "Originally, those exorcists weren't supposed to be here. Like the Avatar, they have a different duty and jurisdiction. They're supposed to be far away. We weren't supposed to run into them."

_"More exorcists besides Allen...!?"_ Kuri thinks.

"They're said to defend the world from a distance. They are exorcists of legend, veiled in mystery. But it seems that they really exist. I don't believe it. They've appeared. There must be some state of emergency..."

"State of emergency..." Miranda says. "The invasion? Or is it something else...!?"

"If that's true... Why did they attack us?"

"They aren't enemies!" Kuri says. "They're allies!"

"You have no reason to say that," says Lavi. "They attacked us. Just like enemies do."

"That's some greeting," says Miranda.

"For whatever reason," Lavi says, "they made it clear they're not allies. If they come to attack us again, we'll have to fight them."

Allen lies in bed. Kuri was asleep next to him. He holds Kuri's hand. "_What do those two want!?" h_e thinks. He sees a ruined city around him. A wave of water looms overhead.

"A tidal wave!? What happened here!?" A shadowed figure stands atop a devastated pillar. "Who are you?" Allen says. "Are you the god of ruin?"

Allen and Kuri open their eyes. "A dream!?"

"Allen..." Kuri says. "Did we just have the same dream!?"

"That dream..." Allen says. "The god of ruin..."

Xxx

Lavi sits in thought. "The mirror Lenalee carries is a talisman...!" He thinks. "The three talismans that will cause the ruin. Then where are the other two?"

Xxx

Kuri sits in the park. "Allen's late," she says. "Looks like rain. Bad weather. Since then I haven't seen them. Lenalee and Kanda..." Two hands cover her eyes. She turns around. "Allen?" She sees Kanda behind her.

"I was taking a detour from my route home," he says. "You drew me here." He turns and runs away in a gust of wind.

"Wait!" Kuri calls. "Kanda!" He stops. "Are you our ally? Another exorcist like Allen? Why won't you tell us anything?"

"I wanted to meet you while you knew nothing," Kanda says. "Kuri..."

"Kanda..."

He holds her face.

"Kuri!" Allen says.

"The exorcist appears," says Kanda. He ran away..

"Kuri," Allen says. He holds her. "What's happened? Did he do anything to you?" (he's jealous and protective)

"No... It's not that. It's not that..." She rests her head on Allen's chest, her eyes watering. _"Why am I crying..."_ she thinks. _"It's hard..."_

Allen hugs her.

Xxx

Miranda has to make something out of clay, something important, and give it to someone she cares for. She shows the others what she is doing, and they ask if it's a coffee cup.

"No!" Miranda says. "It's the chalice."

"chalice? What's that?" Kuri said.

"That's the name of a legendary object that is supposed to be the secret to reincarnation," Miranda says. "When a crisis calls for it, wondrous power flows from the chalice. It gives power to the innocence, and saves the people."

"I only asked Lavi a little," says Kuri. "We'll get Allen to help us."

Xxx

"Want some coffee?" Allen asks.

"Sure," says Kuri.

They drink their coffee in silence.

"I wonder what Allen thinking about," Kuri thinks. "Is he mad about me and Kanda being together...? But I couldn't help it. Kanda as the enemy again..."

"Allen!" she says. "Umm. I..."

"H-Hey Allen!" Miranda calls as she bursts into the room. "I was going to meet you at the door, but you're already here!"

Kuri and Allen are silent.

"Have you been fighting?" Miranda asks.

"N- No!" Kuri says.

"Allen looks angry, Kuri.", Miranda remarks.

"Huh?"

"What did you do, cheat on him?"

_"Cheat on him..."_ Kuri thinks. _"Is that what he's thinking? That I cheated on him..."_

"Miranda," Allen says. "What did you come here for?"

"Well, I wanted you to help me with my project."

Miranda pulls on Kuri. "Don't go. You need to help me too. 'Kay?" She unwraps her cup-shaped piece of clay on the table.

"What are you trying to make with the clay!?"

"The holy chalice."

"Holy chalice?" Allen says. "Master told me about that. How are you going to make that, from this..."

"We'll need lots of supplies! Go to the store, Kuri!"

Kuri leaves the store grumbling. "So why did it have to be me...?"

She enters Allen apartment. "I'm back! I brought some ice cream too."

She smiles as she sees Allen working with Miranda on the clay.

"Wow! Miranda! Look, look! It's great!"

"Yep, we finally finished it," says Allen.

"Miranda..."

They see her asleep on the floor. They smile.

Kuri puts her arms around Allen. "Allen... I'm sorry. For being like that with Kanda..."

"I believe you, Kuri."

"When you were together with Lenalee, I got really jealous. It was stupid."

"I was full of jealousy too," Allen says. "Jealous of that guy. But I'm sure there was a reason for it. He always looks at you in that way. I think those two have hard circumstances."

"Yeah," says Kuri. "Yeah, I guess, Allen."

"Kanda's painful sorrow spread..." she thinks. "I'm crying for no reason."

Allen holds her. "We don't need to wake Miranda up. If you want to stay here, that's okay." He holds her and kisses her.

Miranda peeks out from under her blanket. "Looks like they've made up." She had been pretending to be asleep so as to give Allen and Kuri a chance to talk and clear things up.

Xxx

Miranda, Allen and Kuri are talking. It's been raining a lot that spring and it is depressing Miranda. Midterm scholarship tests are coming up and Miranda moaned that THEY are what is depressing. Miranda, though, has received excellent marks again, first place! She urges Miranda to join her to go to the Fire Nation Academy and prepare for the exams. There is a ranking book Lavi shows them and it says that one person is above Miranda, a woman named Bidou Yui. Miranda says she shall go visit the girl.

When she goes to visit the school, Bidou Yui is condescending but urges Miranda to join. When she returns to her friends, Lavi warns her that it might be an enemy trap. Miranda insists she won't be caught that easily and assures Lavi that if anything happens, she will contact her. Miranda leaves to return to the Mugen Academy.

_"Bad rain clouds..."_ Miranda thinks. _"Like they're coming out from this building."_ She enters the Infinity building.

"You're the visiting student, Miranda, right? Junior high is on the 13th floor. Please go to the 9th grade science class."

Miranda goes into the science room, where Yui is waiting. She stands next to a glass case with a black swirl of matter inside.

"You're here," Yui says. "Miranda."

"What's that?"

"Isn't it pretty? This is a miniature replica of the cosmos. I made it for a science experiment. It's the Black Dream Hole. Lotto-san?"

_"I feel like I'm being sucked in..."_ Miranda thinks.

Miranda looks at the case. "I wonder if that's a hologram," she thinks. "This black hole... I've never heard of it." Yui leaves to go do something while a camera mounted on the ceiling focuses on Kata.

Queen Bandiane looks at the image of Miranda in the pool of water. "I feel extraordinary power coming from the surface of the water," she says. "That power... Could it be... A carrier of a spirit's protection? Another spirit!? She came by herself."

"Queen. I am the leader of the science class, Bidou Yui. Leave it to me, Water Warrior. It was clear from the beginning that the Snow Princess and the Fire Dancer would fail. By my system, the Water Warrior, I will obtain the souls of the Spirit World. The master will certainly be pleased."

"The souls of the Spirit World..." says Queen Bandiane. "It must have such strong energy." She gasps as the image in the pool vanishes.

The camera lens is shattered as Miranda throws a pen into it. She runs out into the hallway. A sign by a stairway reads, "Underground Laboratory. No entry." Miranda rushes down the stairs.

"Kanda!" Lenalee calls, as she sees him running.

Miranda opens the door that reads, "No entry." Eyes shine in cages all around the room. "An animal research lab!?" she says. "Another door!?" She reads the sign on the second door. "Danger!?" She looks through the window on the door. "I don't believe it! Those are... the monsters that attacked us!? Then this must be the enemies'..."

A hand grabs her shoulder. "Going to class, Miranda-san?" Yui asks.

"Oh no!"

Other students surround her. "In this class, I will take your soul. We'll start the utilization."

"What!?" Miranda thinks. "What's she talking about!?"

"We're also interested in that utilization," Kanda says.

"Kanda!? Lenalee!?"

"Seize them!" Yui says to the students. "Take all three of them to my class!" They're dragged upstairs to the science classroom. "The operation has just begun!" Yui says. "The nanorobots in my program will go forth from human bodies into their souls. Through my system, I will sacrifice the souls to our master Queen Bandiane! I will sacrifice the empty bodies as vessels to our compatriots! It will be glorious!"

Miranda knocks the students around her away.

"You fool!" Yui says. "This is the 13th floor!"

Miranda jumped and lands in the swimming pool outside.

Kanda and Lenalee jump out after her.

"Don't let them escape!" Yui says. "Go after them!"

"What's the big commotion!?" Queen Bandiane says. "Don't let the valuable vessels escape!" she says. "The spirits are together! Get them!"

Kanda and Lenalee hide in a tree.

"We can't stay in the Fire Nation anymore," Kanda says.

"You're right," says Kuri.

Yui jumps to the ground. "Where are they!? Find them!"

"You're doing needless things!" Miranda says.

"A water bender is no match for a water warrior!" Yui snapped and the two began to fight.

Miranda gasps. "My body's..."

"Heh heh. Does it hurt? The nanomachines extracted from my program cut into your body and dissolve it! All that will be left is the soul of your beautiful spirit!"

_"My body won't move...!"_ Miranda thinks_. "No..."_

"Now, to our master!" Yui says. "Sacrifice the strong, beautiful spirit!"

"Miranda!" Allen calls. Kuri followed.

Allen stops as she sees two figures before her. "Kanda!? Lenalee!?"

Kanda lifted his sword. "My talisman!"

He used it to attack and defeat Yui.

Miranda falls to the ground.

"Miranda!" Allen ran over.

"Kanda's sword!?" Miranda thinks. "Is that... the second talisman!?"

Kanda and Lenalee ran away in a blaze of heat.

"Wait!" Miranda calls. "Kanda! Lenalee! They came to save us...?"


	8. Hoshi

As this battle ends, Lavi stops by to meet Miranda. It is here that they meet a woman with dark skin and blonde hair. She introduces herself as a freshman in science, who studies basic physics, with a major in theoretical physics. She is Reiko. Lavi comments on how the room is filled with plants and that Miranda would love it here. As they leave Reiko, they comment:

"So, isn't she pretty?" says Miranda. "Reiko must be the prettiest at this school."

"Yeah, really," says Lavi. "She carries herself with the grace of an adult. She's intellectual and beautiful. Er, um... So what kind of research is she helping with?"

"I think that professor studies anti-gravity in China. She said that there's something strange about the space in the Delta area. They're investigating the surroundings very deeply."

" Look, there's all those weird black clouds... It's a little scary. Those are definitely rain clouds. This place has strange weather. The rainy season hasn't ended at all." Miranda says.

xxx

On the other side of town:

A dog in a glass chamber transforms into a large monster in a flash of light.

"It mutated into a failed spirit again," Professor Komui said.

They go to the fountain in the pool of water outside the old stone castle. They kneel before it. The statue glows. "Ohh..." Queen Bandiane says. "I am waiting for the light of the source of life, the Crystal Points. Gather more and more souls of the humans. We still do not have enough."

"I apologize, Queen Bandiane," says Komui. "We will surely bring many souls here."

"There is only one method to take action in this world now," Queen Bandiane says. "I take it you are progressing with the utilization."

"We are attempting the utilization by planting eggs in the human bodies that souls have been taken from," says Komui. "The outsiders are interrupting us. In the experiments, 90 percent become atavistic. The time to make them complete like us is not yet... Then the complete ones will bring the ruin of the outsiders, the sailor soldiers."

"Take care of the outsider sailor soldiers that carry the protection of planets at once!" Queen Bandiane says. "Eliminate them! I will recover all my power. We must be patient until the utilization is performed. This land will be our second mother planet. Nothing must stop us!"

"Certainly!" says Komui. "The carriers of the lights of the innocence's protection, the exorcists! I will eliminate them at once!"

"Lenalee and Kanda..." says Queen Bandiane. "They destroyed the spirits in an instant. What is that strong brightness called? Is that their soul!? The souls of the normal humans are no match for it. That power... It's brilliance is like that of our source of life, the Crystal Points. But, the ominous light that will guide us to ruin could be near it. In the light of the planets' protection... The time of awakening is near."

"The light that will guide us to ruin..." thinks Komui. "Could that be the three talismans, in the light of the planets' protection!?"

"Take Lenalee's brilliance, the infinite power, immediately!" says Queen Bandiane. "For our revival! Eliminate our impending ruin! By our hand, the exorcists and the humans of this world will be led to ruin!"

Komui leave.

"Since the outsiders have appeared," says Komui, "the master has seemed cheerful."

Xxx

Queen Bandiane goes to the pool of water. "So selfish, knowing nothing of the trouble I go to..." she thinks. "Now I'm supposed to find the secret of the sailor soldiers' power, and the true form of the guiding talismans. The sailor soldiers... Troublesome fools..."

A woman appears behind her. "Queen Bandiane," she says. "We must obtain lots of souls."

"I am the instructor of the phys. ed. class at the school," the woman says. "I am also in charge of the botanical garden. I can't stand leaving things half done like Viluy did. I am Terra, level 404, and I will obtain the highest quality souls. At the master's request, the souls of the sailor soldiers. Then I will bring the power for the Crystal Points!"

Xxx

Two girls walk between classes at the Labs. They see Kuri. "That's the student, Lenalee," says one girl. "She's carrying her bag. Is she leaving early again?"

"Is she weak-bodied?" says the other. "She's been wearing those long tights all year."

"She's such a dark person. She always has a vacant face. It's well-known that she's a bit strange."

"Naturally. Her father's a mad scientist. Doesn't she have any friends?"

Lenalee drops to the ground coughing. She reaches for a pen case. One of the girls steps on it.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Lenalee. You worn out? Need some help?"

Lenalee picks up the case.

"Lenalee?"

Lenalee glares at them. She crushes the case in her hand. The girls gasp. "Wh-What!? She crushed the pen case!?" Lenalee walks away. "She looked at us so angrily... Like she was another person!?"

Xxx

Kuri stares out the window. Rain pours outside.

Allen slaps her on the back. "What's the matter, Kuri? You look like you're lovesick."

"That's not it.. I want to meet Lenalee and Kanda. Let's look for where they live! I want to see them, and talk to them. They're the same exorcists, but why do they keep fighting us? It can't continue! I want to go ask them!"

The school bell rings.

"Let's go," says Allen. "We have work to do."

"You two..." Kuri says. "You're so cold!"

"What's wrong Kuri?"

"We should do what we can right away," says Miranda.

Xxx

We follow Miranda home and learn that Sasanquas are her favorite flowers because they remind her of the boy she loved. She tells her friend that she has lots of plants in her house but that lately they haven't healthy. She blames it on the strange weather, how it's suddenly hot then cold.

Her friend tells her of a new plant that grow and soak in water from the atmosphere. The infinity school sells them...Miranda thinks about the plant...it is called Tellurian.

Later at the command center, Lavi, Allen, Miranda and Kuri are discussing how the enemies are from the Infinity School and that they must prevent them from spreading out into the city, seeping in undetected. Allen and Kuri discuss the Delta Area which seems to have abnormal energy coming from it, in particular the Infinity zone.

Allen studies up on Professor Komui, Lenalee's brother.

"Specialty is genetic engineering," Kuri reads. "Owner of the Infinity School. Resides at the Moeto Research Labs. Hey, he has a sister, Lenalee. He... saved Lenalee before. That kid is Kuri?"

They leave the command center. They pass a flower shop.

"Hey, wait," says Miranda. "This is it. The plants that grow without water, tellurians. Are they being sold from the Infinity School?" "Oh, we're selling lots of those now," says the clerk. "They're easy. You don't have to give them any water at all. In a week, they'll turn into a beautiful pink, and smell great." Miranda buys one of them "I'm a little worried," says Miranda. "I've never seen this kind of plant before."

Xxx

"This medicine is digitalis," Lavi said. "It's a diuretic that increases the flow of blood. This is verapamil. It's heart medicine. I wonder if she has a heart disease."

_"A heart disease..." th_ought Kanda_. "Her heart is ill!? Lenalee._.."

Xxx

Kanda approached Kuri's front door.

"What business do you have here?" asks Komui. "Trespasser."

"He's my guests, Papa!" Lenalee said.

"Lenalee!" says Kanda.

Komui walks away. "Odd," she thinks. "She has a guest."

"What is it?" Lenalee says. "What have you come to see me together for?"

"Hey!" says Kanda. "I thought I'd check on you."

"I feel like I'm being drawn in," thinks Kanda. "To her deep blue eyes... Like they know everything..."

Lenalee drops to her knees, coughing.

"Lenalee-chan!?" Kanda says.

"I'm having more fits," Lenalee thinks. "Someone's voice is calling inside my head... Today I fainted like this at school. My memory after that..."

Lenalee reaches out for Kanda chest. "Ahh... When I touch you Kanda, I start to feel better. It fills me with power."

"Really? Lenalee-chan?"

Lenalee covers her mouth. "What!?" she thinks. "That-!? Now I wanted to take his power for myself... Why!? Now... It was like somebody inside me... was talking..."

Komui stands behind the door to the room. "Kanda is here?"

Kanda looks out the window.

"What are you looking for?" Komui asks.

"Oh! I-! Err-! Ho- Ho- Lenalee-chan's room. I got lost looking for it."

"Ah, you're Lenalee-chan's friend." He takes Kanda to her room. "Lenalee."

"Brother!"

"It's time for your checkup."

"Oh, well then I'll be leaving," says Kanda.

"Bye-bye!" Lenalee says. "See you later!"

"That's Professor Komui," thinks Kanda. "His hands were hard, and cold as ice. Not like human hands..."

As he walked home, Kanda saw a woman with dark skin and bright red hair in the crowd. "That's...!"

"She's gone! It couldn't be... It couldn't be... She was walking right here..."

Xxx

"Hey where's Kanda been lately!" Allen said. "Where on earth has he been!?"

"I'd rather not say..."

"It's love," said Kuri. "Kanda's in love."

Lavi collapsed in shock.

"Kanda's in love!?" he said. "With who!?"

"Who knows," said Miranda.

"He blushes a lot, he can't do anything, and he dresses fancily," said Allen.

"And she seems like he's interested in me and Allen now," said Kuri. "It can only be love! Right?"

"So, where is Kanda?" Lavi asked.

"Relaxing at his room," said Allen.

"So Kanda's in love..." Miranda says. "I know what that's like."

"Yeah," said Kuri. "Especially in this season, I remember old loves."

"What about me?" Allen said.

"Of course it's you I think of!" Kuri said, hugging him.

"Wh- what's with you guys all of a sudden?" Lavi said.

"You don't understand," said Miranda. "The feelings we have."

"O-Of course I do!" Lavi protested.

"Oh, I know..." said Kuri.

"Hey, it's snowing again. It'll be cold tonight too. Definitely." Lavi said.

A spirit floated outside. "Heh heh... That's right. Being alone is bad."

"Why don't we all throw a Christmas party?" said Kuri. "It'll be fun."

"Really!?" said Allen. "Hey! Every year for Christmas we pick a star!"

"A star?" The four chorused.

"Right. Then at the party, everyone gives the star what they most want as a present." Allen said.

Xxx

"Allen," said Mana. "This year, the Christmas star is you. Now, open your eyes. Here's your present from everyone."

Allen saw a small golem—Timcampy—in a basket.

"Wow!" Allen said.. "How did you know what I wanted? Mana, thank you!"

Xxx

"That was fun," Allen said. "Everyone did it at the Christmas party. I wonder who the star should be this year. Mana..."

Xxx

Kuri enters Miranda's apartment. "Wow! Miranda-chan, it's been such a long time. Everything's green again."

"But they're not doing very well, since it's raining so much. It's on the card. 'Tellurian.' Plant breeding by Teruno Ruru, Infinity School." Miranda yawns. "I'm so sleepy..."

"Yeah, I'm so tired..." They drift off to sleep.

"Miranda-chan!" Kuri calls.

"Huh...?" Miranda sits up. "I feel weak..."

"Miranda-chan! Look at this!"

"What!? The tellurian has already bloomed!? No way!"

"Miranda-chan! The plants over there!"

"They've all withered!?"

Miranda takes a butcher knife and cuts through the tellurian. Gases fill the air.

Xxx

Kuri looks at the map on the wall. "Hmph. The Delta. Three pieces of land are linked together."

"Kuri!?" Miranda calls.

"Miranda-chan! Everyone! What's wrong? Where are you going?"

"The Infinity School botanical garden! The enemies!"

Kuri sees Lenalee and Kanda walking. "Lenalee! Kanda!?" They look back, then run off. "Wait!"

"Why did they run away?" Kuri thinks. "Kanda! Don't you want to meet us!?"

Xxx

They walk to the condominium tower. "The tallest building in the Order. They live so close, in Minato Ward." Kuri goes to Kanda's room. "Kanda?" she says. "You're like us, but why can't you fight together with us?"

Kanda leans against the door inside, listening.

"Why won't you tell us anything?"

"Now what we must do," Kuri says, "is hold off the spread of the enemies' influence. Right?"

"The Order," says Allen. "The winds are always strong here. When I come here, my body burns."

"Something is unusual," says Lavi. "Ghastly. It's much stronger than before."

They enter the Infinity botanical garden.

"It's just like a jungle," says Reiko.

"Look!" says Lavi.

"The people are collapsing! There's pink flowers all over. This sweet scent of poison... The tellurians!?"

"I'm losing strength!"

"Heh heh heh... The highest quality life energy."

"You!?" Reiko says.

"Carriers of the planets' protection," Tellu says. "The sailor soldiers themselves. How lucky that you've come here. Heh heh. The tellurians are the alter self of me, Tellu. I soak up life energy with my beautifully crafted flowers. The mass of humans' life energy, their souls, absorbed. If I offer the flowers, the master will be pleased, and I will be granted the position of Magus, like Komui!"

Reiko lies on the floor. A tellurian is nearby, soaking her energy.

Kanda's head jerks up. Kuri looks around from her apartment. "Somebody's in pain..."

"Who?" they think. "Someone very close to us... Our ally!?"

"It hurts..." Reiko thinks. "My strength is fading rapidly... Somebody... Save me... Am I going to die here!? No. I can't die yet. I was born here. The meaning... I was reborn. Meaning...Awaken!"

The sign of the spirit of nature appears on her forehead. The signs of the spirits of fire appeared on Kanda and Kuri's foreheads. Kanda and Kuri appear in the room with Reiko. "The time has come!"

Leaves blow in the wind around Allen. "What!? This-!? Now, something, somewhere, has awakened!?"

"Everyone!" Kuri calls. "We have to fight."

"You've shown your true selves!" Tellu says. "The soldiers, those who protect the Avatar. I am Tellu, level 404, and I will take your souls, and the power for the Crystal points! I will tear your bodies into pieces and use them as fertilizer!"

She used her power against them.

Miranda defeated her power

Tellu falls back.

Allen fought back with his innocence.

"Heh heh!" Tellu says. "That's the highest quality power! Why such a pathetic attack?"

"What!?" Allen thinks. "I can't hesitate. Bring out all my power. I must defeat the enemy before me. But... Kanda, Kuri!"

Reiko appeared fought with her natural earthbending and Tellu is enveloped in light, and is torn apart.

The soldiers, Kuri, and Allen gasp.

"That low voice..." Kuri thinks. "That attack..."

They turn and see Reiko holding a spear, standing

with Kanda and Kuri.


	9. Blizzard

Reiko!" Kuri calls. She runs to her and wraps her arms around her. "Reiko! Is it really you!? Reiko!?"

"Sister," Reiko says. "No, Weilder of the Black Wings. I have come for my important mission."

"Important mission?"

_"What is it..."_ Kuri thinks. _"She's not like the Reiko of before. Stronger. Bigger."_

Lenalee activated her innocence, her dark boots.

Kanda activated his innocence, the Mugen.

Reiko activated her innocence, the Hoshi, draped in vines and growth, looking like a giant flower.

"Lenalee!? Kanda?!"

Allen recognized the innocence and fell to his knees. The others followed suit.

"Greetings," he says. "I haven't seen something like this in many generations."

"I wield the Dark Boots, shackles of sound and power."

"I wield the Mugen, sword of the Otherworld."

"I wield the Hoshi, crystal of the kitsune."

"We are the three soldiers of the Otherworld!"

"Destroyer of Time," Reiko says to Allen. "We will do whatever is necessary to make reparations for our rudeness. Forgive us, so we can protect this world. Since ancient times, we fought as spirits against invaders. We defended the Otherworld from a distance. You and the Otherworld have been resurrected again in this world. And we, too. Like you, it was promised we would be reincarnated. We have newly awakened on this planet. But it seems we are too late. Our full awakening came in the time of crisis. They are already invading. Deeply, quietly, they built their fortress. We've let these invading enemies slip through. It's our mistake."

"This woman who calls herself Queen Bandiane..." Miranda says. "Where did she come from?"

"Queen Bandiane?" says Lenalee. "Is that what she's calling herself? She was once a spirit like we are, protecting this world. She consumed part of Allen's innocence, making her immortal. She has taken part of his soul"

"The Bandiane comet," says Kuri. "That's what she said... Is that where they're from?"

"Yes," says Reiko. "She was banished by the Black Order long ago, but she has returned. This land sparkles with a great power. The area of the Order is veiled in the great aura of a hidden power. She's probably been drawn to it."

"Intentionally... Accidentally..." Kanda says. "A twist in the time and space here is occurring. They could be coming from it. And, unless we defeat this being, this world will be cornered into ruin."

"This being?" Allen asks.

"The one we are supposed to defeat," says Kanda. "The biggest enemy. We almost had them. Until somebody interrupted us by barging in."

"Kanda!" Lenalee says. "We're sorry for dragging you into this."

"But! You're like us!" says Allen. "Right?"

"But these enemies, against this false Queen," says Lenalee. "We must face against them. Interference is useless."

"We'll help you!" says Kuri.

"Don't," says Kanda.

"What?"

"It's too much for you," says Lenalee.

"But! We've been fighting until now!" says Allen. "We're fighting too!"

"Until now it's been different! The form the akuma are taking, and the way they're invading, is a complete mystery. So defeating the biggest enemy is something you can't do. This is our jurisdiction."

"But...!" Allen says. "We can't even help you?"

"Allen," Lenalee says. "Don't waste our time. The mission must be accomplished smoothly."

"Come on, you can't be serious," says Miranda.

"We had to leave the Black Order because our cover was blown!" says Kanda. "The enemies might come looking for us! Is that the kind of danger you want to face!? We live in those condominiums, to keep an eye on the Order. We will not fail. We will take out the being."

Allen stares at him.

"Don't look like that, moyashi," he says. "We didn't want to confuse you."

"We three have special powers you don't have. We've been awarded stronger powers and stronger items. Leave things to us." Reiko said.

"Wait," says Miranda. "What kind of thing is this biggest enemy? Is it that powerful an enemy?"

"Miranda." Reiko said.

"The stronger items you carry," Miranda says. "Are they the three talismans that will lead to ruin?"

"The ominous oracle..." says Kuri. "If the talismans must not be gathered... The talismans you use as weapons... What are they!? Your mission..."

"The talismans we carry, and our biggest mission, are to bury the biggest enemy. The god of ruin." Lenalee admitted.

"The god of ruin!?" Allen said in shock.

xxx

Later: Miranda reads the newspaper in the kitchen.

"'Members of the Black Order have gone missing. They are looking for the responsible party. Dead bodies were found in the botanical garden. The garden has been closed, and the land development has been stopped.'"

_"What next?" She_ thinks. _"The akuma. And Lenalee, Kanda, and Reiko. What do they want to do? The god of ruin. What could its true form be!?"_

"So the mad scientist is causing an uproar again," says Miranda

"Miranda, do you know him?" Allen asks.

"He was a world-famous scholar of genetic engineering. Seven, eight years ago. But he was probably too quick to announce his research, and he was banished by the scientific community."

Allen sat reading.

"Wherever I searched," he says, "there was no data on Professor Komui's past. Finally I found something."

"Life's work: 'Superhuman'?" Kuri said.

"He continually repeated his genetic experiments on animals, and was outcast by the scientific community. He put his experimental know-how out for sale, and it was bought up by the Infinity district. Two years later, there was a fire while the buildings were under construction. Sister Lenalee (8) Critical condition.

"After that, all life vanished from the professor's face."

xxx

"Ohh..." says Queen Bandiane. "The source of life, the Snow Crystal, is losing strength. We must get it quickly... We will eat up the tiny souls of the humans soon. For my revival, take the infinite power similar to that of the Snow Crystal! The lights of protection should be gathered. Our ruin will be eliminated! We've finally found the land of peace. We won't give it up to anyone!"

Queen Bandiane walks to the pool of water. "The lights are rapidly gathering in this land. They're being drawn to the land's aura. Something is going to happen. The lights of the protection of three new spirits... This does not bode well. These lights are stronger than the others. Are these the carriers of the three talismans!? Is it too late to stop the path to ruin!? My reflecting pool is always clouded. The sailor soldiers are sending out a strong vortex from the innocence lights! Or else, is the cloudiness the fault of the increasing abnormal aura power in this land? This sacred land has seized the Black Orders abnormal aura, and the strong lights of the innocence protection. We can't escape..."

Pofessor Komui walks in as Bandiane orders the last of the Witches, Cyprine, to do away with Allen.

Xxx

"Hey, Allen," Miranda says, holding the chalice. "This is pretty. What is it?"

"Oh, Miranda! That's the legendary holy chalice. I made it with Kuri! Say, Miranda, do you know about the holy chalice? During a sacred ceremony, it's a special cup you use to drink the wine and holy water."

"You've been working hard, like a soldier," says Miranda.

xxx

"Kanda," Reiko calls. "The movie's starting!"

_"Lenalee hasn't come," _thinks Kanda. _"I've already waited nearly an hour. What's wrong?"_

"You go on ahead," he says to Reiko. "I'll call Lenalee's room." He goes to a phone. "Nobody's answering... Maybe... she's fallen down again, and can't contact me..." He walks to the Research Labs.

_"It's so cold here..."_ he thinks. _"All those dark clouds..."_

xxx

"I've completed the procedure to get you in the hospital," Komui said. "I'll go visit you there. Do you need anything?"

"Thanks, brother, I'm all right. After I stop by the lab, I'll head for the hospital."

Lenalee entered her room and gasped. The petri dish lies broken on the floor. A large crystal sits beside it, with a figure inside. "The crystal... It's growing this huge!? But how? It looks just like the form of a person...! What on earth..." He moans and doubles over. "It hurts... The number of fits is increasing... Am I starting to lose it...?"

Lenalee lies in a hospital bed. The spirit floats outside the window. "I was lonely..." Lenalee sits up. "Who's there? The window's opening?"

She floats out of the crystal she was closed in. "You have gotten the first piece of me," she says. "I am Queen Bandiane. I was named by you."

"You came to meet me...?" says Lenalee. "I'll probably die soon. I see. I don't worry. My parents died so long ago, and there's no one else who will grieve... I can die in peace. You can take me at any time."

"Lonely... I can somewhat understand your loneliness. I was also alone. All alone for four and a half billion years..."

Kanda sits outside the hospital in the falling snow. _"Lenalee..."_ he thinks. _"There's nothing I can do for you. But I want to see you..."_

A nurse enters the room. "Lenalee-san? How are you feeling? If anything's changed..." She sees the spirit over Lenalee's unconscious body. She screams.

Kanda runs into the room and sees the nurse frozen in crystal by the spirit. "That thing!? That form... Oh no! An enemy!?"

"Who the hell!?" the spirit says.

Kanda attacked with his Mugen, melting the room easily.

The spirit cries out. "I'll retreat for now!" She leaves.

Professor Komui rushes into the room. "Lenalee!?" She runs to him. He looks up at Kanda. "Kanda?! What's wrong? What happened?"

"Kuri was attacked."

"Kanda!?"

Lenalee opens her eyes. "Brother?"

"Lenalee!?"

"That crystal..."

"The crystal!?"

"It suddenly appeared from there... Queen Bandiane..."

"Queen Bandiane!?"

Xxx

_"The dark clouds are spreading from the direction of the Infinity School,"_ thinks Kanda.

Cyprine appears outside. "Yu Kanda," she says. "I've found you."

The glass in the window shatters.

_"Kanda!?" _Lenalee and Reiko think.

"Heh, you're here, Snow Dancer," Kanda says, attacking with Mugen.

"Kanda!" Lenalee calls.

"Lenalee! Reiko!"

"Carriers of the spirits!" says Cyprine. "The new warriors! You've appeared!"

"Kanda! Lenalee! Reiko!" The others run in.

"Everyone!?" Kanda says.

"Look!" says Kuri. "It's serious! The whole city... Hail is assaulting the city! All the people are suddenly bloodthirsty!"

Cyrprine unleashes some form of witchcraft making the two groups hungry to kill eachother.

"We will be the ones to kill you three!" Kuri said, under the spell.

"Kuri! What's wrong with—" Allen realized they were all under the spell. "What have you done to them?!"

"My spell only attacks the depths of the spirit and magnifies the blackness within, their true intentions are exposed and those are to prey on eachother." Cyprine cackles.

Allen attacked her, and A burst of light flashes. When it's gone, two identical figures smile.

"I am Cyprine," says one.

"And I am Pitol," says the other. "Together we are one."

"She split!?" Allen thinks.

"Where is the power similar to the Snow Crystal, Cyprine?"

"Together, no one can stop us, Pitol! Not even the innocence! Look!"

"We'll kill you, scum!" Kanda, Lenalee and Reiko shout.

"Die!" shout the others.

"Everyone!" Allen calls. "Wake up! Don't fight! Be friends again!" He tried blasting them back.

"Nuisances!" Kuri shouts as she attacks them.

Allen holds Kuri down.

"Kuri!" Allen calls. "Miranda! Everyone! Stop it!"

"Damn!" says Miranda.

"Stubborn fools!" Allen says. "You're still attacking!"

"Heh heh..." says Cyprine. "Ahahaha!"

"Why must we fight!?" Allen thinks. "Are we all hostile in our souls!? No! Those three always came to save us."

_"We defended the Otherworld from a distance." _

"They fight to defend what's important! Their goal is to fight, just like us. We can't be led astray! Make our spirits one, to fight! We are exorcists!"

Kuri's eyes cleared.

Kuri and Allen join hands.

"Make our spirits one..."

Light glows around them.

The holy chalice appears above them.


	10. Death

p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Allen's innocence begins to glow./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""All our spirits into one...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""The holy chalice is shining!" Kuri thinks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Allen!?" says Lavi./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Everyone...!" Allen commands in loud voice that rings with power, order and rule./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The exorcists halt./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Allen!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Make our spirits one, to fight! We are exorcists!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Allen is..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Calling us..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The three objects carried by the spirits glow./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""My talisman," says Lenalee. "The mirror..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""My talisman," says Kanda. "The sword..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""My talisman," says Reiko. "The staff..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""They've started to resonate!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The lid on the chalice opens./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Power to the Destroyer of Time..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Power..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The chalice shines as it rises above Allen./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"He glowed as his innocence became Crown Clown./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"All the others glowed as their powers evolved./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I feel..." Lavi thinks. "Stronger!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Allen!?" Kanda says. "No, that's... Crown Clown!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Crown Clown!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Crown Clown!?" Cyprine and Ptitol gasp./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Xxx/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Lenalee vanishes and collapses on her bed in the Order, clutching her head./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Bandiane stares into the pool. "Allen! He powered up!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She looks into the sky. "Such grand energy! But the center of the power receives no damage!? I don't believe it! Crown Clown! What on earth is this power!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Lenalee coughs hard, kneeling on the floor. "My forehead hurts... Like it's splitting... I'm nauseous... It hurts... From my throat, from my forehead, from my whole body, something is trying to get out. It must not get out! It mustn't!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Her voice and manner changes. "Allen! That enormous power! What is it!? Does that give you all power!?" Lenalee stops coughing. Her eyes sparkle. "It's the power of the Heart," she says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Xxx/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""We won't be led astray any longer!" Allen shouts. "I won't hesitate anymore." /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"He attacks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The bodies of Cyprine and Ptitol are distorted in a flash of light, and vanish./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Xxx/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Damnit!" says Bandiane. "Destroyer of Time! My precious servants—defeated! The outsiders must be eliminated quickly. We were supposed to see the start of our new world here with the master. But things are happening like this! You have angered me, Allen!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Lenalee holds her amulet from the string. Her eyes sparkle. The image of Bandiane is projected on the amulet. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Heh heh," says Lenalee. "My Queen...and I am the true Queen. The true Princess of Darkness." She holds her head. "My forehead's splitting!" She cries out in pain as she collapses./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Xxx/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I...!? I powered up...!?" Allen thinks. "It suddenly came, then vanished. Power from the holy chalice..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Crown Clown!" calls Kanda./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""It was power from everyone..." Allen thinks. "Devoted to me from the holy chalice."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""The legendary holy chalice!?" thinks Kuri. "Is this the power of the legendary holy chalice!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""The talismans gave power to Allen...!" says Kanda./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""There was this kind of power in our talismans..." says Reiko./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I don't believe it," Kanda says. "The talismans were to awaken with a key... But like this..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Kanda!" says Reiko./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I asked for all our spirits to become one," says Allen. "I asked for you to lend me your strength. We can surely work with each other. I want to save everyone. I want to defeat the enemies. We both felt that way. Then with the legendary holy chalice, I truly became the Destroyer of Time. We can be as one like that. So we're the same kind of warriors. We're allies."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Allies... Destroyer of Time..." thinks Kanda. "No matter what we did, the talismans lent their power to Allen so easily. The talismans are saying to tell Allen the truth. Tell her the truth, and she won't be able to fight. We're the same soldiers..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"They go to an apartment high in the building. "Reiko's place."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""It's all messed up from the attack," says Allen./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""The window glass is shattered."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I can't wait to see the bill for the cost of the glass," says Reiko. "Plus the cost of redoing the broken furniture... However much it is, it's not enough. The rent here is one million a month."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""One million!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Wh- Why is it so much!?" asks Lavi. "Are your parents paying for it!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Ehehe," Reiko says. "Since we have a patron, the price isn't a concern."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She looked at Kanda./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Kanda..." says Reiko. "Allen. No, Avatar. In what we can trace of our memory now, we saw the three talismans activated. It has only happened once before. Do you remember? When the world was destroyed. Then, leaving the territory we were to protect wasn't permitted. From far away, we sat watching over it. From a distance, where we were home, we heard the final cry of the world."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""No, don't talk about that," Allen says. "It's like... my heart is breaking..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kuri holds him./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""What we carry, the strongest weapons of the outer solar system, the talismans, are beginning to resonate like we've never seen. We gathered them. Then, the beautifully shining talismans summoned, from the forbidden planet, the final warrior, who must not awaken. The warrior of darkness and destruction. Touched by Death's Spirit. Then we knew the end would come. We watched as she slowly brought down her death scythe and the world ended. Our power gave out."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Death...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""The Spirit of Death appears at the moment of destruction. She takes all to nothing. She is the guide to death. When the three talismans are together, they will invoke the key that will call Death. We are the guardians of that key. The time when we gather them, the three talismans, that is the time of Death's awakening. The three talismans must not be able to be brought together. The time when Death awakens... Is the time of the death of this world. The time of the ruin of this world."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Then these are the three talismans that will lead to ruin," says Lavi./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""But, in my dream," says Kuri, "somebody was calling for the talismans to be gathered. Who was that...?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""The territories we are to defend are far apart. We were never supposed to meet. We were reincarnated as humans on this planet, and again we met. The talismans were calling out. Invaders from outside. We can't stop anymore. We sensed that. We followed the invaders to their home. We found it, in the center of the cursed Delta, right under our noses. The enemies were there. Then the soldier of destruction was reborn..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The face of the soldier is reflected in Lenalee's mirror, held by Reiko/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Oh my god..." Allen says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Is that... Lenalee?" says Kanda. "Is Lenalee touched by death!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"He glares at Reiko. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Is that why she left?! Why didn't you tell me?!" /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Death's awakening is near. The child's body is beginning to feel the effects."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Lenalee's soul was calling for the talismans!?" thinks Kuri./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Allen," Reiko says. "As you know, you have a future. The ruin can't happen here, now. This is an accident. Lenalee's soul was reincarnated. Somewhere the wheels of fate have gone wrong."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Why is this happening...?" Kuri asks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""We don't know."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""But!" Kanda says. "Whatever happens, Death must not be allowed to awaken. Lenalee /spanspan style="font-style: italic; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"has to live!/spanspan style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""What do you plan to do?" asks Lavi./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Kill her. Then we'll completely seal Death away." Reiko said./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kanda gasps. "I WON'T LET YOU!" /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""That's..." Allen says. "You're kidding, right!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""We don't know yet whether or not the three talismans will be activated. The talismans are resonating. They sent out the power to call out to the Heart. The talismans are full of power. Like the time... Like the time when the world was destroyed. The time when the talismans activate to call Death is near."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""And so you're going to kill her!?" Kanda says. "There has to be another way!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""If there was, we'd use it," says Reiko. "We don't have long. The child's body... You've seen it, right, Kanda? She was seriously ill from an accident when she was 6 years old. It was a miracle she returned from her coma alive. As she had the best mind, she was the result of her insane father's abominable work. The child's small body has already been worn out."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Isn't there any way to save her?" Allen asks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""There is only one way her body can be saved. That would be for her to become a soldier with power, and awaken as Death. But we can't let that happen."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""You have no right to cut off Lenalee's life to seal away Death!" Lavi says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""So this world can live without following the path to destruction, we will kill the child. After we kill her, we'll defeat the enemies. If we do not, Death will surely awaken and destroy this world. Everything will vanish. Nothing will be left. We might not be able to stop it. But our mission now is to seal Death away before her awakening."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""No!" Kanda shouts. "No! You can't kill her! There is a way to save her! Death might not awaken. The future exists. The world won't be destroyed! We'll help her. We can save everything! You can't kill her! I'LL SAVE HER!" /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I thought you'd say that," Reiko says. "So you can't do the mission with me. This is where we part. You may hate me. For you, we may be enemies. Since there is no other way, I will do my duty. I will save the world."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She runs off and disappears in a flash of light./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Reiko!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Lenalee is Death, who will call the ruin..." thinks Kanda. "Lenalee...Those deep eyes with a wondrous power. She always looked depressed. Lenalee..." He runs away./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Kanda!" Kuri calls./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""It can't happen!" He thinks. "I have to save her! I'm going to Lenalee's place! She can't be killed!" She climbs over the fence of the research lab. "This time I won't run away. Whatever form she's in, whoever she is, whatever her destiny is. She's my—-!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Reiko sit above in a tree. "Is that... Kanda!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kanda runs to the door and sees Lenalee sprawled on the floor./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Lenalee's eyes open. They sparkle. A gust of wind blows out, shattering the glass of the door./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""What!?" Bandiane thinks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""That sound!?" thinks Komui./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Kanda!" Allen and Kuri call, sensing their friend's fatal danger./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"A hand snakes out from Lenalee, and delved deep in Kanda's chest. It dragged out a blazing light—his innocence—and dragged it away. Kanda collapses./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Kanda!" Allen calls. He runs to Kanda with Kuri./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Lenalee's eyes glow, and her hair grows out long, all over the floor around her. Her eyes are dead, her skin like rotting flesh, and she held Kanda's innocence./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Allen!" Lavi calls as he appears with the others./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Lenalee glares up at them, and they're all forced back./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""That's-!? Is that Lenalee!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Oh no!" Allen thinks. "Death!? Has she awakened!? The talismans aren't activating! So that's-! That spirit...it's...something's wrong with it!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Lenalee smiles as a black star shines on her forehead. "I've got it," she says. "I've got it! His innocence is mine! I've awakened! Heh heh! Ahahahaha!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kuri holds the unconscious Kanda in her arms. "Kanda!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Kanda!?" Allen says. "His body's cold... Kanda!? He's not breathing!?"/span/p 


	11. Innocence's Power

"I can't do anything," Kurai says. "He's dying."

Allen gasps. "No... It can't be..."

"Would you leave us?" Kurai asks.

Miranda and Lavi leave.

"Kanda! Kanda!?"

"His body's stiffening..." Allen says. "And getting cold... Lenalee... killed her!"

"His soul has been stolen.", comes the voice of Reiko.

"Reiko!" Allen says. "His soul!?"

"The spirit Bandiane have targeted the souls of humans," says Reiko. "They steal spirits. Then they unite the soulless bodies as akuma. The utilization. They convert human bodies into one. Those are Bandiane's akuma!"

"Steal spirits!? Human bodies into one!? Then, Lenalee... That form... was..."

"It was not the awakening of Death," says Reiko. "The three talismans are not yet activating."

"I hadn't thought about this happening," says Reiko. "Lenalee was long ago utilized by them. That isn't Lenalee any longer. It's an akuma! When she took Kanda's innocence, she was also stealing Kanda's spirit."

"Kanda and Lenalee..." says Allen. "What will happen to them!?"

"The spirits of the utilized ones," Reiko says, "live as sustenance. But even if the utilization is a success, they will soon revert to akuma. If that happens... then they cannot be saved. It's impossible after that, whatever form they take living in this world."

"The ones we defeated before," thinks Allen, "were humans merged with enemies... If they change into akuma soon, they can't be saved...!"

"Lenalee has already been seized by the enemies," says Reiko. "But it will be easy to do. Soon she will suffer and be destroyed. We will kill her before she suffers."

"But...!"

"She has Kanda's spirit and his innocence!" she says. "What would you have us do!? If you want Kanda saved, you have to fight and take them back! If we don't kill her, we'll be killed. Even if Death doesn't awaken, destruction will come. Kill or be killed. Which would you choose? We're going. Not just for Kanda, but to save everyone!"

"Right," Allen thinks. "Unless we save the planet... The enemies I've defeated before... Humans and enemies merged... And Lenalee, too..."

Kurai looks down at Kanda. "If it keeps going like this," he says. "Kanda's blood not flowing... He really will die. Let's take him to my place."

"There's no time," Allen thinks. "If we don't hurry and get her spirit back... We won't be able to save Kanda!"

They go to Kurai's apartment.

"Kanda's body and mine are linked," Kurai says. "I'll use my body's life maintenance system to keep Kanda's body alive." She holds Kanda's hand, and it starts to glow.

"But then your body will be burdened..." says Allen.

"It's all right. Kanda and I are one now. I can at least keep this one body alive. It's no problem, it'll be fine."

Allen sits by Kanda's bed, tearing up.

"Could you leave us alone for a while?" Kurai asks the others.

They look at Kanda, then leave the room.

"Kanda... I can't choose. Kanda. Lenalee. The people of this planet. I can't abandon them! I can't choose between them for us. Will it not just lead to ruin? Us... And then the world..."

Allen feels Kanda's hand. "Kurai's power is spreading," she thinks. "It feels like Kanda's alive. What should I do? What..."

"Allen."

Kurai kisses him.

"Oh," he thinks. He sees the image of a devastated city. A shadowed figure stands atop a ruined pillar. "Again. This vision... "

"We'll get them back, Allen," he says. "Kanda's spirit, and his flame. We'll do everything we can. Don't lose hope. Hope..."

"That vision..." he thinks. "Is that... the Destroyer of Time? Or else, Death?"

Xxx

Lenalee cuts off a lock of her long, dark hair. "I cut and I cut, it grows back," she says. "Crappy hair. This is limited and inconvenient, being a vessel. I'm uncomfortable in this human body."

Professor Komui rushes into the room with Bandiane. "Khione!" he says as he kneels. "We have been awaiting your arrival. For a long time. We transplanted the egg into my sister, Lenalee. Completely undivided, I thought you might not awaken."

Khione grabs her head.

"She's awakening now..." thinks Bandiane.

Khione walks to the stone hall.

"Oh, I've been waiting for this," Bandiane says. "Khione!"

"Great Queen Bandiane!" She raises her hand, and energy flows to Bandiane.

"You've just awakened," Bandiane says, "and you're already bringing power. What power is this!? These souls are the beginning...!"

"Bandiane, one moment. This is not from souls. It's the exorcist Kanda's innocence. I've finally gotten it. We can keep this great power to ourselves. The Innocence!" She goes to her room, carrying the sword. "Wondrous light. Like something dwells inside it. It puts me at ease with its holy brilliance."

_**"Naturally. It's defended by Kanda's strong, powerful spirit."**_

"Who's that!? Is it someone inside of me trying to push out...? It's because of my spirit. It's giving me strength... With this Flame, there's nothing for us to fear anymore!"

"Hey, Khione!" Komui says. "We're running out of eggs. The utilization, to steal souls by planting the eggs, is the only way for us to live in this world."

"But, the completion of the master's utilization will become unnecessary. The birth of our new world is close at hand. Heh heh! Ahaha! Close at hand!"

Bandiane stands in the center of a circle on the ground. Smoke surrounds her. A bat flies in. She grabs it in the air and rips out its heart, squeezing the blood into a glass. "Our servants," she says. "Before my warriors are resurrected..." Five figures steam from the glass, taking the shape of the exorcists. "I will place a curse on these ones. A curse that will never be lifted... Heh heh heh..."

Xxx

Allen walks down the street, and sees the four girls. "Everyone!" she says. "Let's go. To get Kanda's spirit back! To the Academy!"

As they approach the center of the Delta, they see the building overgrown with trees and vines.

"The Academy has gotten like this overnight..."

"It's full of amazing energy," says Miranda. "The air, the plants, the building. The abnormal power is making everything go mad."

"The power is forming into a dome shape over the Infinity zone," says Lavi. "It looks just like an omega shape."

"Let's go," says Miranda.

"Lenalee, Kanda, Reiko," thinks Allen. "Am I choosing the wrong path...? If I do this, will we not be able to fight together?"

"Allen..." Reiko thinks. "It's regrettable, but I will put Lenalee to death. To death..."

"Heh heh... They're here. The carriers of the powerful light. Along with the Destroyer of Time." A door appears though the trees.

"An entrance opened!?" They walk into the building.

The two identical women bow. "Greetings. Welcome to the Infinite Labyrinth."

"Cyprine!? Ptitol!?"

Xxx

Lavi sees darkness all around him. "What the-!? Allen!? Where is everyone!?" He sees a sign in the hallway that says, "Etiquette Class." He rushes into the room.

"How impolite," says Eudia. "As instructor of manners and etiquette at the Infinity School, Arimura Yuuko, I'll teach you a lesson."

"Eudia!?" Lavi thinks. "But I defeated her before!" The door slams shut behind her. "Oh no! I don't have time to fight you!"

"Too bad! I am Eudia, warrior of the flame! You have been selected as my match!" She jumps up and kicks Sokka down.

Lavi gets to his knees, breathing hard.

"You really don't want to fight?" Eudia asks. "I see. You don't have the fighting spirit. You won't only fight for Allen. Your whole body is saying you want to know etiquette and military arts."

Xxx

"Allen!?" calls Miranda. "Everyone!? Hey! Where are you!?" She turns a corner and enters a room full of plants. "This is-!"

"Welcome, to the Infinity botanical garden. I am its caretaker, Teruno Ruru."

"You!? Teu!?"

Teu sits Miranda down. "You don't need to fight today. Okay?"

"Wow!" Miranda says. "It's full of roses! La France, the first breed of hybrid T! These are soleil dolls!" She picks a flower up. "My heart's softening..." she thinks. "What was I coming here to do... I'm so tired... Fighting is absurd... I want to stay here forever... It's my dream. To spend a carefree lifetime in a rose garden, with someone I love..."

Xxx

"Everyone!?" Allen calls. "Oh no! Have we been split apart!? Have we fallen into enemy hands!? That was careless. Where is this!? Everyone...?"

The other two appear before her, scratched and bruised.

"Lavi! Miranda!" The figures begin to melt.

"It's your fault we're coming apart," they say. "We won't fight anymore..." They jump at Allen, covering him in melted goop.

Kanda appears behind him. "It's your fault, Allen." He grabs Allen around the throat.

"Ow! You're... hurting me... Kanda...!?"

"We'll help you too, Kanda," says Reiko.

"We think you're an annoyance, Allen!" says Kurai.

"Lenalee! Kanda! Reiko!"

"I want to be free, Allen!" says Kurai. "I'll kill Kanda and Lenalee! And then Allen! You too!"

"Kurai!"

Xxx

Kurai jumps up from her chair beside Kanda. "Allen!? He's being bewitched! Allen!"

Xxx

"No! I can't be bewitched! You're hallucinations! Everyone!" His innocence begin to glow. Light flashes around him, and he's alone. "Everyone!?"

"Allen!" says Reiko. She shows him her mirror. It shows a tall, thick column, holding the bodies of Lavi and Miranda.

"We'll break through the barrier!" Reiko says and snaps the barrier with her mirror's power. They rush inside to the column and free the others.

Allen hugs Reiko. "Yes..." he thinks. "It really is the same feeling. They couldn't abandon us. Together... I wanted to fight. We'll join our powers to fight. Then if my power becomes strong... Even the impossible can approach possibility."

They form a circle, putting their hands in the center. Light begins to glow.

Allen activates his innocence to 100%.

"That light!" thinks Bandiane.

"Destroyer of Time!" Reiko calls. "Up! The president's office!" They go up to the 56th floor of the building, and run into the office, where Bandiane is. Five figurines are on a table. "Those are-! Wax dolls shaped like us!?"

"You've undone the finest work of Queen Bandiane," Bandiane says. "You won't bother us anymore!" She mutates into a giant monster.

"A monster!"

"I'll save this planet!" Allen shouts and attacks.

The monster vanishes in a swirl of light. The amulet drops to the floor and shatters.

"Whatever delusions fill this labyrinth," Allen says, "I won't give up hope! Let's search! For Lenalee!"

"He''s found his way to this fortress," thinks Khione. "He even blew away Queen Bandiane. Although...she was no true Queen of Darkness. That title belongs to me! Destroyer of Time! The time has come. The time for the Order to be our sacred land. There's no longer anything for us to fear." Her eyes sparkle. "With the Innocence of an Exorcist..." Power flows out of the crystal in her hands, into her body.

xxx

Kanda's body begins to glow.

"Kanda!?" Kurai says.

xxx

"Ohh... Strength! From deep in my body, I'm filling with it! As soon as I took it in, my insides were overflowing! This is the power of the exorcist's innocence! Oh, I can feel it! The power! The light of life similar to Death itself! It's been opened! So that is the power of the Exorcist!"

At that moment a pair of dark clear eyes opened deep within the soul of the demonic Khione.

Lenalee was waking up—and she wasn't going to allow Kanda to die.


	12. Protection

Kanda's body glows.

"Kanda!?" Kurai says. "This light!? What's happening!?"

His eyes open.

"Heh heh heh!" Khione says. "More power! Open up more power!"

Kanda's body begins to shake. "Kanda!?"

"No!" Lenalee says. "I have to hold it in... The power must not be increased further! The power must not be opened! The power of the Kanda's innocence cannot be sent out easily to you!"

Khione cries out. "My forehead! My forehead is splitting! It's scorching! Ohhh... Somebody is controlling my body from inside me! I have to endure a little more. My Queen. If I complete the utilization, I won't have such an inconvenient body... I'll get rid of it. I'll rule this puny world!"

"That can't happen!"

Kanda floats through the air. "Where is this!? It's dark, and scary. Why am I here?Something's been coming after me! I'm scared! Somebody help me!"

"Kanda-chan..." Lenalee calls.

"Huh?" Kanda looks around and sees a shining crystal. "Oh. My innocence!" She floats down to get it. "Great. I was worried when I didn't have it. Without it my body couldn't hold up. It's a part of my body."

"That's right. It is of one mind with you and your heart. You can't be away from it. And you shouldn't easily show it to people. Protect your spirit softly."

"Mother...? No, it's not like in mother's arms. Cool, big, wide... I feel at ease."

"It's all right," Lenalee says, holding him. "I'll give you protection. I won't let them get your beautiful, pure spirit, and the innocence. I'll be sure to save you."

"The innocence's power has weakened!?" says Khione. It is because Kanda has control over it again.

"Kanda!?" says Kurai. "He convulsions stopped!? Her hand... is warm. Is somebody... protecting Kanda's spirit!?"

xxx

The others are all inside the Infinity Labyrinth now.

"You can see the Delta and Tokyo Bay from here," says Allen. "Lots of buildings under construction... Like ruins hiding black monsters... Ruins... That image of ruins... I don't want to think that's a vision of the future! I want to defeat these enemies, whose form we can't see, quickly. I want to live without feeling this anxiety, and return to the peace of before! Unless we hurry and rescue Kurai-chan, Kanda's spirit, and his flame... The time of Death's awakening... The time of the end of the world... Can we return to the peace of before...? Kanda...! Lenalee..."

"No good," says Lavi, his eyes looking out. "I can't get a read on the internal structure or their coordinates. And I can't find any life signs at all..."

"A lot of strong power is accumulating in the Infinity zone," says Miranda. "It has a strong influence. Now this land is becoming chaotic."

"Let's go to the basement," Reiko says. "The labs are concentrated in the basement. We might be able to encounter the daimons."

"Let's divide into two groups," says Lavi. "While we investigate the floors one by one, down from this one, the 56th, you go down to the bottom. Allen, take the elevator to the basement with Reiko. I'll go with Miranda."

"Two groups..." Allen thinks.

Lavi smiles. "Be careful." He leaves with Miranda

"Lavi, Miranda..." Aang calls faintly.

"Let's go," Reiko says. "To the basement." They get in the elevator.

"Heh heh heh," Komui says, working in the lab. "Seems they've boarded the elevator. A death sentence. The pretty ones who carry the lights of the planets' protection. The time has come! The grand occasion of the fruits of my long-awaited dream! My life-work. The superhuman. Hundreds of times a human's brains and physical strength. Tens of times longer a lifespan. Just a little more genetic operation and medicine administration. Then it will be possible to make the cyborg. I'm a genius. They'll be sorry they outcast me. For my research, I've chosen this Omega Area. The heavens gave me another chance since the accident. After the accident, I greatly reconstructed Lenalee's body. It was the birth of the fruit of my dream, the superhuman. During that biggest experiment..."

A blast strikes the building.

"Professor!" Bandia calls. "Lightning!" A bolt hits her.

"Bandia!"

"They descended... Carrying eggs from another world. God chose me. I made a blunder in Kurai's great reconstruction. I found a chance to use an egg of the utilization. I produced beautiful, perfect beings. Next, our loving monster! I won't miss making the failures for us, the rulers of the Black Dream hole. My experiments are for you. If our master's utilization is completed, we can survive completely. But I will continue the utilization by all means! I will get more perfect ones like me! A human has been united with foreign living things. I am clearly the inventor of the new creation, the superhuman. I am its god!"

"Brother..." Lenalee thinks.

The elevator descends.

"I- I'm nauseous..." Allen says.

"You okay, Destroyer of Time?" Reiko asks. "Guess even the Destroyer of Time can't go against gravity on an elevator."

"It's picking up speed," Allen thinks. "Just like... I'm falling endlessly to hell... Scary..."

"I wonder if Lavi and Miranda are okay," Allen says.

"Did you want to go with them?" asks Reiko. "They should be fine."

"Aren't you scared? Never mind! Being trapped in this building of ghosts and this never-ending elevator is getting to me. From here on, we'd fight the big enemy. Or so I thought. I feel like I'm all alone. It's scary. I just feel a bad premonition coming..."

"Don't call this solitude," Reiko says. "Solitude extends more, infinitely. Like the places where we were."

"Tell me," Allen says. "What kind of places were you at, Reiko?"

"Deserted places. Where there's nobody. Completely alone. No one will come to help you. Lonely places."

"But, in any time," says Reiko, "we looked back at the distant Destroyer of Time. That was our only ray of light."

"Yes," says Reiko. "When that light shined, it brought us strength. There was nothing we couldn't do."

"Whenever we were about to give up," says Reiko, "that light always led us on."

"This is taking long," Reiko says. "Too long."

"I'm worried about the others," says Reiko.

The elevator shakes around. The door opens, and they're tossed out of it. They fall through the darkness.

"Destroyer of Time!"

"Reiko!" Allen calls. He loses sight of them. "Darkness everywhere. I'm scared...! Reiko! I can't hear her voice! Where are they!? Miranda! Lavi! I'm worried. We shouldn't have separated back there. Kurai, Lenalee, Kanda! Without everyone, I can't do anything. What should I do!? All alone here is the darkness. What can I do!?"

_"That was our only ray of light."_

_"When that light shined, it brought us strength. There was nothing we couldn't do."_

_"Whenever we were about to give up, that light always led us on."_

Allen sees a point of light high above.

"Always... Everyone is shining on me, leading me... When I'm about to be crushed, I always remember. I'm carrying a light in my heart too. That's the spirit of all of us, in one. Just believe. For the moment that light shines down...!"

He raises his arm to the light.

"I am the Destroyer of Time! With the strength given to me by everyone, I will shine through the darkness and make it light! I won't yield to any darkness or delusions!"

He attacked, using Crown Clown.

Allen and Reiko crash to the bottom of the elevator. The door opens.

"Welcome to my lab," Komui says. "I've been looking forward to this. Heh heh. My pretty monsters are feeling hungry."

The monsters chase after Allen.

Reiko attacked with her powers, and The monster tear apart.

"Heh heh heh! Still more! I can make any amount of monsters! Ahahaha!"

"Stop it!" Allen says. "We don't want to fight you here. Where's Lenalee!?"

"Lenalee? Formerly my sister. She's at the holy sanctuary now, devoting the light similar to the Crystal Points, the power of Kanda's Innocence, to our Queen!"

"Queen!?"

"The Queen's quickening has finally begun! It's too bad, but this place will be your graveyard! You will be my first victims! I am Gelm!" He mutates into a large monster.

"A monster!?"

"I am not like the monster," he says. "I am a superhuman! The union of human and outside life! Die!" A blast of light shoots out. The soldiers jump away.

"Until seconds ago, this was Lenalee's brother!" Allen thinks. He narrowly dodges an attack.

"This isn't a human anymore!" Reiko says. "It's a monster! An enemy!"

She attacked; The monster knocks her away.

"Reiko!" Allen calls. He attacked.

The monster is ripped apart in a burst of light. The poor man's soul had been utilized long ago, along with Bandia's. "Dad... The gentle dad since mom died... The dad who came to save me... He wasn't my dad anymore... Goodbye, Dad..."

"Who's that!?" Allen says. "It... seemed like someone was there..."

The ground begins to shake.

"Something's coming!" Reiko says.

She used her powers and a sphere of light forms around them.

"What's that!?" Allen says. "Something's crashing out through the ceiling!? They're up there! Lavi! Miranda!"

"Is something coming from below!?" Lavi says.

The floor breaks apart as light blasts through it. The two are thrown into the air.

Allen reverts from Crown Clown back to normal.

"Destroyer of Time!?"

"My Crown Clown came undone! Did the connection of spirits break!? Did something happen to the others' bodies!? Lavi! Miranda!"

They float up through the hole in the ceiling, outside. The sky above is swirling with colors.

"The sky!?"

They see a glass room at the building's entrance.

"Something's inside the building! That's...!"

Khione stares at them with a demonic grin. "Heh heh heh."

"That's... Lenalee!?"


	13. Death and Life

Allen stands atop a pillar in the crescent moon's light.

"That light always led us on... Just like the Destroyer of Time..."

"Something strange is happening to the sky!?" Reiko says.

"Lenalee!?" Allen calls. "No, that form is... A monster!?"

The earth rips open in front of the building, and the building is torn apart. It collapses in the center of the Delta.

"The Black Order building!"

The reflecting pool soars into the air, carrying four balls of light with it. Two bodies are held inside.

"That's...!? Lavi! Miranda!" Allen flies after them. "Lavi! Miranda!" As he approaches, he's knocked away. "I can't get near it! Everyone!?"

"Look!" Reiko says. "That...!? Something's covering the sea! That's...!?"

"We interrupt this for a national emergency broadcast!" the TV reporter says. "This is an emergency warning announcement! First class martial law has been officially declared in the London coast area! A mysterious giant explosion is occurring in the Fire Nation coast area! The center of the Delta is also experiencing a severe earthquake of unknown magnitude. Martial law has been declared! Residents should take refuge at once..."

"Heh heh heh..." says Khione. "The time has come. Now with the energy that's been accumulated, Queen Bandiane will assimilate this planet. The time of the utilization!"

"Assimilate this planet!?"

"When the utilization is completed, this land will be one with Queen Bandiane. It will become a Black Hole. This planet will become our mother world! Heh heh heh! Ahahahaha!"

Reiko looks in her mirror, then toward the sea.

"Reiko!?"

"The sea is subsiding all at once," she thinks. "Is it foreboding a tidal wave!?"

"The sky is looking strange," thinks Reiko. "Is a storm coming? Or else, is something coming through the space...?"

"If things go like this, there will be a huge earthquake," thinks Reiko.

Reiko jumped into the air.

"Reiko!" Allen calls.

"I must protect this land."

She landed on top of a building in the corner of the Delta.

Reiko raised her weapon. "The Destroyer of Time. This planet where Allen was born."

Reiko raised her weapon. "I will defend this world!"

Reiko cried. "That is my mission!"

A beam of light shot into the sky, meeting above the Black Order.

"Making a force field?" Khione says. "Useless."

"Reiko!" Allen calls.

"When the master's utilization is completed, it will no longer be necessary for me to stay inside a human body!" She bends over. "I can't work freely!? I can't get out!"

"You won't escape!"

"Who's that!?"

"This body is still mine," Lenalee says. "You won't get out of it! I won't let you be free!"

"I thought you has disappeared near the food inside me. But you're still living, stubbornly. Your tiny soul! I took in the Exorcist's Innocence and powered up. Now I have no reason to control you. I will cast off this body and break it to pieces!"

"You can tear it to pieces! It will scatter apart! But Kanda's spirit, and his Innocence. Whatever happens, I'll protect them!"

"Impudent humans! Nobody will stop me!"

Allen attacked.

Khione raises her arm, and Allen is knocked back.

"From the exorcist's innocence," she says, "you can't take my power! Power! More power!" She looks up at the pool in the air. "The exorcist's souls!"

"Lavi! Miranda!"

The light left their bodies, and they collapsed in the empty pool.

Allen flew up to them. "Everyone! Hold on!"

Khione licks her lips.

"Oh no!" Allen says. "Did she steal their spirits!? No...!"

Lenalee sees the two exorcist's bodies floating in space. She goes over and clutches five balls of light.

"Troublesome worms!" Khione says. "Bring me souls!" Lenalee cries out in pain.

"With the power of my body, I might be able to protect the exorcist's innocence, and the spirits of Kanda and the two exorcists...! My spirit was seized by them. It is my death... But why is this all I can do? My dad is gone... I have nothing anymore... But why do I still have power? If I'm this strong... Inside of me, I feel another, bigger me. That me is saying to keep life, and save everyone. All I can do is to take these three spirits, and Kanda's innocence, and rescue them from here!"

A ball of light bursts out of Khione. "Damn!" she says. "The souls are being taken away! But, now I am free!"

Allen looks up. "That white light..."

Two lights come out of it, and go into the bodies of the exorcists. They slowly open their eyes.

"Everyone!" Allen says. He faintly sees Lenalee watching her, smiling. Lenalee turns into a ball of light and flies away.

"Lenalee!"

xxx

Kurai opens her eyes. She gets up and feels Kand's forehead. "I dozed off. Kanda..."

Lenalee's spirit sits in the open window.

"Who are you!?" Kurai says.

Two lights enter the room. One goes into Kanda's body, the other becomes the exorcist's innocence and sinks inside his chest.

Kanda opens his eyes.

"Kanda!"

"Kurai..." Kanda sits up, and sees the spirit.

"Good."

"Lenalee!?"

"I was able to save you, Kanda. I'm happy. It's good. It's strange. It must have been fate that we met."

"I thought that too," Kanda says. They hold hands. "Lenalee..."

Khione mutates into a large monster.

Lenalee screams.

"Lenalee!?"

"It's good we met. I'm glad we became friends, Kanda. Thank you. Goodbye."

Her spirit fades away. "Lenalee!?"

Xxx

"Lenalee...?" Allen thinks.

"This... This sad fate..." thinks Kanda. He starts to cry. "Lenalee... There are people who must live this fate..."

Kurai's fist tightens. "Kanda," he says. "Can you fight with me, to help Allen?"

Kanda looks up. "I can fight. I won't cry anymore. I am a sailor soldier too. With the life Lenalee brought back to me, I'll fight with all my might!" He clutches Mugen. He wipes her eyes. "Kurai! You gave me strength. Thank you! We might not have power like Allen, but let's go fight together!" He runs out of the room.

"Amazing," Kurai thinks. "Wondrous, full of power. It's more like I've been given strength from Kanda. And Lenalee's power too. Allen! I'll be there soon!"

The monster roars as it rises over the Black Order

"Allen!" Lavi says. "That thing! What is it!? It looks strange. It seems like it's in pain!"

The monster screams as it approaches them.

"Oh no!"

Kanda attacked with Mugen.

The monster falls back.

"Kanda!"

"Kanda!" Allen says. "How...?"

"Lenalee saved me," he says. "She gave her life, and protected me."

"Lenalee gave her life..." Allen thinks. "She's gone... Lenalee..."

"What are you doing!" Kurai calls. "Quickly! Activate Crown Clown!"

"Kurai!"

"If you don't act, this planet will be eaten away by that thing! Reiko is using a huge amount of power to sustain that force field. Hurry and defeat it!"

"Allen!" the others say.

"Yes," Allen thinks. "I must protect it. I must save this planet!"

Allen activated Crown Clown.

"Now join our power together!"


	14. Ending and Beginning

p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"Kurai covers Kanda as explosions rip apart the city. Buildings collapse to the ground./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Everyone... Everyone... Disappearing." The sea crashes around them. "The world... is ending..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"Kurai drops to her knees, tears in his eyes.. "Lenalee... Lenalee...! Only you kept me alive... And I couldn't protect you...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Destroyer of Time..." Miranda says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Damn," Lavi says. "Can't we do anything!? Everything will be destroyed. I... I just wanted to protect that girl! That was all!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Death...!" Krory's says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"A point of light appears in the center of the Black Order. It rises up into the air, clearing everything away. A figure lies inside the sphere of light./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Destroyer of Time...!" Kanda calls. "Ultimate Power!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"Allen opens his eyes, eyes glowing./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"The others all look up./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Ultimate Power!" Kurai says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"Allen looks at himself. "I...?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Attack! Attack!" the monster says. "To this world! Reduced to being drawn by gravity to the darkness of the graveyard! Our home of death!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""It's beautiful," says Lenalee. "The suffering of the moment of destruction. Now! Right away! The guide to death will lead to the world of silence and nothingness!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Death!?" Allen says. "Like this, we'll be drawn to outer space together!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Oh no!" the others think. "Together!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""I don't feel despair," Lenalee says. "Along with death, there is always hope and rebirth. You will cause that, Avatar Allen.", indicating that although Lenalee can bring death and destruction, Allen is the one who can bring back life and rebirth./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Death...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Destroyer of Time, because you opened up the power of the Ultimate, you can save this planet. For my rebirth, I eliminate death and destruction. Soon the world will be this chosen land. The sacred power is on your side. Miranda! Forever shut the passage to the other world!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Lenalee!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Hurry!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""My Innocence!" Miranda says. " Give me power! Close the door of the broken law!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"The space-time door appears, sucking in energy./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"Death smiles as she slowly fades into it. The door closes./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Lenalee!" Kanda yells./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"It vanishes./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"Allen stares into the sky./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Along with death... Hope and rebirth begin."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"He raised his hands into the air. Buildings are reconstructed, and the people wake up./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""The city..." Lave says. "The people are being resurrected!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Allen...?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"Allen stands atop a devastated pillar in the center of the ruined building, holding up his hands./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""The messiah..." Kurai says. "So it was you... Allen."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"They hear a cry from below. "Someone is" Kanda runs to the sound. He finds Kurai lying there naked, a cloth over her./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Lenalee?" Kanda says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""She was reincarnated...?" says Miranda./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""I will always be with you Lenalee." Kanda put his jacket on her and helped her up./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""I love you Kanda." Lenalee said./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""And I love you." /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"The two kissed./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Lenalee! Kanda!" Allen says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Destroyer of Time...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""We'll be going," Kanda says. "Since we've been given a new mission. Since you're important."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""You're going?" Kurai says. "Where?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""We'll see," Lenalee says. "Maybe far away. Maybe close."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Will we see you again?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Yes, of course," Kanda says. "Kurai. We're allies. We'll certainly meet again."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Right," says Lenalee. "We're allies. We'll meet again soon. For sure. Aang, Kurai, Miranda, Lavi, Krory... We love you. We will return to you again." She hands them her mirror. "A sign of our promise."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Lenalee...!" Kurai says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""Look in this mirror. Until we meet again, become a stronger, stronger soldier. Protect our precious Allen."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"The exorcists disappear with the baby. "Lenalee! Kanda!" Allen calls./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"Allen and Kurai run to the place where Kanda lives. They go up to his room. "Kanda!?" They burst through the door, and see the room empty./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"The other two find the same thing at Lenale's condo. They all hear a noise outside, and rush to the patio decks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;"The two are flying of../span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman;""We will surely meet again. Kanda. And Lenalee. Again, someday... Surely!"/span/p 


End file.
